


Roses

by SirRantALot



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blackwatch Era, Blackwatch Genji Shimada, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Overwatch - Freeform, Strike-Commander Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-02-22 14:06:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13168518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SirRantALot/pseuds/SirRantALot
Summary: Strike Commander Jack Morrison - he's known to be the best at everything: taking down violence, leading an organization full of fearless soldiers, leading the world to peace... But even for the fearless leader, weakness lurks in the shadow.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic will have potential triggering topics related to stress, depression, trauma, etc. Please be aware that it may not be suitable for everyone.

With a shaky breath, the sparrow reached out one last time, his bruised fingers wrapping around the hilt of his sword weakly, the wave of pain causing him to scream loudly.  _ It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it- _

 

As the blood dripped down the side of his face, Genji stared at the dark figure walking away with the bloodied sword in hand. He wanted it all to be a lie. This wasn’t happening. _ No, no no no no- _ it was all a bad dream - a nightmare. Looking around, he noticed pairs of cold eyes on him from the shadows; the elders were not forgiving either. A pool of blood beneath him grew bigger as he tried to move towards his enemy walking away, as if to show them all that he could still move, that his enemy couldn’t do the proper job of finishing him off.  _ Oh but it hurts so mad, it’s driving me insane- _

 

Darkness grew closer, along with the cold, cold embrace of death that loomed over his body. Time was slowing down, he was fading away- a mere name that was to be forgotten. Nothing. He was nothing. The second son of the infamous Shimada Clan, gone, just like that. No one would speak of him. He was just a failure, replaceable, worthless. Killed by his own brother, the brother he’s grown to love, to trust, to show his blind side to. 

 

He could feel the cold eyes on him slowly disappearing one by one, the crowd dispersing back into the darkness as their interest fades away, just like the Shimada. Their fearless, cold leader now gone too far for the dying man to see, leaving the sparrow alone in the cold, winter night of Hanamura- left to bleed, to rot, to disappear back into the Earth and to be never spoken of again. He closed his eyes, letting the cold, welcoming embrace of the darkness surround him. All he could hear was the slow beat of his heart starting to grow faint, covered up by the voice of his brother echoing through his mind.

 

_ “You bring shame to our family. The Shimada’s name is not worthy for someone like you.” _

 

Not worthy. Useless. Replaceable. That was it. Nothing more than just a waste of space. Maybe it was just meant to be, to be killed by his own brother. To be discarded in the dead of the night, like some pile of garbage. 

 

With his consciousness becoming dull, he swore he heard a voice nearby; a hushed, whispered voice quickly approaching. It sounded so unfamiliar, but with his mind seeming to be everywhere, focusing on the noise was impossible for the sparrow. Instead, he lay silent, welcoming the approaching sound, whether they were real or not. Who cares? He was dying, and no one was coming to save him. That was the cold reality that he finally accepted. He wasn’t worth it.   
  


“...Angela, quick! We’re taking him to the base… I don’t care, we’re saving…”

 

.

.

.

_ It’s all a bad dream, right? Your brother loved you. He cared for you, he protected you. He cried the night you came back home with bruises and cuts. He wouldn’t have done that. You’re just dreaming. It’s all a bad dream. _

 

.

.

.

 

“...alright? Can you hear my voice?” 

 

An unfamiliar voice greeted Genji as his eyes cracked open, the light in his eyes feeling as if it was burning him. He groaned, lifting his arm to block out the light, or at least attempt to. He… He was alive. The pain was tolerable, less than what he felt before he passed out, but it was there - a reminder of what happened.    
  
As the words drifted in and out of his mind, a hand reached out  and held Genji’s, holding it gently with caution. “Mr. Shimada? You don’t have to answer back, but if you can understand and hear me, can you squeeze my hand?” 

 

A simple task, but it seemed impossible for the sparrow. Too much was going on; the lights were too bright, too many voices surrounded him, and he felt like he’d been to hell and back. But despite the pain, he gave the hand a small squeeze, or at least tried to as best as he could. 

 

“Good. Mr. Shimada, you’ve suffered major injuries to your body. You won’t be able to move around much I’m afraid. Once you’re feeling… better, we’ll discuss this further. For now, you should get more rest.”   
  


He tried focusing on the blurry figures beside him, identifying a blond woman with short hair walking away, with a large block of words on a paper which he assumed were a list of his sustained injuries. Following the doctor out, was a blond man, who looked…too ordinary to be part of the medics crew. But before he left the room, the man turned to give Genji a small, but warming smile, as if to say ‘get well soon’. Odd, but also welcoming; it was definitely nice to see for a change. Laying his head back on the bed, the sparrow closed his eyes once more, drifting away to chase what he wished was the reality. Only his dreams provided comfort now - he couldn’t trust anything anymore.

 

.

.

.

 

He didn’t know whether to be grateful that it was a dreamless rest; on one hand, the terrors of the event didn’t haunt him, but on the other, something deep inside told him that he wanted to see his brother once more, to make sure his hatred wasn’t all for nothing. He wanted to believe that it was all a bad dream, but no matter what happened, the truth was always going to be there. 

 

The silence in the room almost drove the sparrow insane, the constant beeping of the life support nearby not enough to distract his scattered thoughts. Everything felt so… different, so wrong, so disoriented. 

 

“Take it easy, Shimada. You shouldn’t move around with your condition,” a voice rang out, rough, but soothing. An American, he assumed, or at least someone who had much more experience in speaking English. The sparrow decided this was the only time he would actually appreciate the constant English lessons he was forced to take as a child, despite the fact that he spoke English very often.

 

Genji remained silent, not knowing whether he should speak up or not, though he wasn’t even sure if he was able to speak. Looking around, he noticed just how many machines surrounded him, all making some sort of noise every minute. At this point, death would have been preferred over being supported by a million machines. 

 

By the time Genji figured just how much damage was done to his body, he was too tired to show off any reactions. At least he found out the reason behind all his pain. Both his legs were missing, as well as his right arm, his chest completely covered in machinery, wires and tubes linking his body to the various supporting machines nearby to keep him alive. Was it worth keeping him alive? Just how much money have they put in just to keep him from passing out?   
  
“I know you’re confused and lost, but we’ll explain everything to you once our medic is awake.” 

 

He found it frustrating that his vision was failing on him, that he wasn’t able to locate the source of the voice so easily. But he did eventually find the man leaning against the door with his arms crossed, holding what it seemed to be was a cup of coffee. It was the same man who was with the doctor earlier, the blond one that looked…so out of place. 

 

“Were you just watching me until I woke up?” The sparrow finally spoke out, his voice a bit broken, but somewhat understandable. 

 

The man laughed softly, as if he feared waking the others who rested in the room besides him, then cleared his throat to speak once more. “No, I was alerted that you were awake. I had to make sure you didn’t do anything dumb.”

 

“How thoughtful of you. I am sure anyone who lost majority of their body can simply walk on out and do something reckless,” Genji rolled his eyes, already tired of speaking with whoever this man was. He felt like he should have been nicer or at least thankful that he saved the sparrow’s life, but again, why put in the effort for a stranger like him?

 

“Glad to know you’re feeling better, since you’re able to crack jokes like that,” he sighed, but smiled at Genji, looking somewhat relieved that he was at least feeling a bit better. “It’s only 3 A.M. Go get some more rest. There’s water next to you if you need it, and some pain killers if you feel like you need them.”   
  
Looking over to his side, Genji did indeed notice the glass of water with a few pills on the table next to his bed, along with a small, pink rose with a neat little bow on it. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the pretty rose, picking it up to fiddle with it between his fingers. 

 

“Thought it might…y’ know…cheer you up a bit,” the man cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head as he eyed the floor, hiding the small blush creeping up his cheeks. 

 

“It is…nice. Thank you,” the sparrow replied quietly, placing the flower back down gently on the table. “Wait, I uh…do not wish to be rude, but…your name…” He trailed off, stopping himself before he said anything dumb.

 

“Morrison. Jack Morrison. You’ll probably be seeing me around a bit around here, along with the doctor in charge of you, Angela Ziegler,” the man, Jack, answered back, his smile seeming to never leave his face. 

 

“I assume you already know my name. I…” Genji paused, trying to carefully plan out his words to be as cautious as possible around Jack. Despite saving his life, Genji still had a bit of distrust in the man; besides, who does this in the modern age without wanting anything in return? There was always something, whether it was for a benefit to one’s group, or for personal pleasures. 

 

“No, never mind. I wish for some privacy, if that is not much to ask,” he continued, a small yawn escaping him. 

 

“No, of course not. Get some rest, Shimada.If you need anything, there are nurses walking around these halls,” Jack nodded, giving Genji a small wave before shutting the door gently as he left the room, leaving him in the silence once more. 

 

.

.

.

 

After what it felt like an eternity, Genji finally woke up feeling not so dead, unlike the previous times he’s had his eyes opened. He groaned at the throbbing pain shooting throughout his body, making him reach out for the pills by his side, swallowing it down almost too hastily. With a sigh, Genji wiped off the mess he’s made from spilling some of the water, making sure none of it touched the various tubes and wires hooked onto his body. Looking up at the clock on the wall, he watched the second hand of the clock tick away, shaking his head before focusing on reading the time. 10:37 A.M., and it was already so loud outside, with nurses and doctors walking around the hallway, talking with one another and with other patients. Genji only could assume that he was in a big hospital, and nothing more.    
  
“Ah, Mr. Shimada. I am glad you are awake. Commander Morrison has told me that you have taken you condition rather calmly than he’s imagined,” the doctor, which he guessed with Angela Ziegler, spoke to him in a cheerful tone, holding a clipboard close to her chest. She leaned closer, looking closely at the wires and tubes hooking Genji’s body to the machines nearby, quietly muttering to herself before jotting down some notes onto the clipboard, before smiling at Genji once more, putting the stack of paper away. 

 

At the word ‘commander’, Genji’s ears perked up, suddenly interested in Jack. A commander? So he wasn’t so normal after all. But something about him seemed so familiar, as if he had seen this man in the news or heard rumors about him...

 

“I told you he was fine. You’re worrying for no reason, Angela,” Jack’s voice rang out from… well, somewhere. It took a second before Genji realized that Jack was standing behind Angela, shifting around a bit before finding himself leaning against the wall, just like the last time he was in here with Angela. 

 

“I am as fine as I could be, though I must say I miss my legs and my right arm a bit. And a bit of my chest,” Genji shrugged, looking down at his body to observe the damage once more, wincing when he noticed just how much of his body was gone. Jack snickered quietly at Genji’s comment, though he did get jabbed in the stomach by Angela after getting a judgemental glance from her.

 

Clearing his throat, Jack finally spoke up, the tone in his voice quickly changing from a playful one to a serious one. He looked at Genji, his glare reminding the sparrow of the icy gaze the elders have given before his final moment in Hanamura. 

 

“Shimada Genji. You are the second son of the infamous Shimada Clan located in Hanamura, Japan. Under normal circumstances, you would have been arrested, and put on a trial under the law. However, your conditions are nowhere near stable enough to do such thing, and with the criminal empire still in order, we of the Overwatch team, have devised an agreement. With the help of the technology available, our team can help rebuild your body with cybernetic upgrades. In return, you help us take down the Shimada Clan.”

 

Genji stared in silence, already having too much to take in at once. It wasn’t surprising that they knew about his status, of being the son of one of the infamous Clans in Japan, since their status was quite well known to big names anyways. But to take them down- now that was something that certainly caught his attention. Anger rose inside him as he recalled what happened: this wasn’t some kind of mysterious event that happened coincidentally. They planned it all. They wanted him gone, and they succeeded. 

 

“You don’t have to decide right now. Of course, even if you don’t take the offer, we’re not going to let you off and die-”

 

“I accept.” Genji looked up at Jack with fire in his eyes, already so tempted to take the lives of the traitors with his own hands. He wanted to be the one to assassinate them, for breaking him, for hurting him, for causing so much pain. Obviously, Jack wasn’t expecting such quick response, and with so much anger in tone either. But knowing what had happened to the poor man, he only nodded in return, remaining silent for a while, not knowing what else to say. 

 

Angela stayed quiet as well, somewhat bothered by the eagerness of the acceptance, as well as the potential dangers that came with the missions. She sighed quietly, shaking her head a bit before finally speaking up. “Mr. Shimada, in order to go through the cybernetics, it is going to take an extreme surgical procedure. Your body cannot stay in this state for much longer, and I’m afraid we are running low on time. I am going to warn you right now, that after the surgery is done, it will take weeks, months, perhaps even years to adjust to your new body. Before we do anything, I want to make sure that this is something you want, and agree to. We are not forcing anything onto you.”

 

Looking down at his body once more, Genji nodded his head lightly, admittedly a little nervous by everything. It was all happening so fast, from the disaster to now this- maybe it was going too fast. Everything was making his head spin, causing the man to place his head in his hand, in an attempt to calm himself down before he had the chance to vomit. Jack, being the closest to Genji, quickly rushed over to his side, his hand reaching out to Genji before stopping, wanting to be more cautious around the injured man. He placed one hand on the edge of the mattress as the other cupped the sparrow’s cheek, raising his face up to meet with his eyes.    
  
“Shimada? Shimada, are you alright?” Jack called out, quiet enough as to be cautious, but still sounding panicked. Angela quickly rushed over by Jack’s side, just as worried as the Commander, yet showing no sign of panic. She merely looked over at Commander, her voice firm and confident as she spoke up, “We need to get him to the operating room, now.” Jack only nodded, allowing room for the nurses who were waiting outside to assist Angela in moving Genji out, the room now left even more silent and empty. He watched as the group pushed the bed out and into the operating room, the double doors concealing everything that happened behind the scenes. As the last nurse entered the room, Jack sighed, worried for the man.

 

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_ Don’t focus on the knives Genji. They’re just tools. They can’t harm you, they’re here to help you. Your past can’t keep holding you back. Accept the change. You’ll be better off in their hands. You can learn to trust again. They’ll be different. They’re not like them. _

 

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Hours passed as the nurses and doctors worked restlessly, attaching each metal pieces and wires together carefully, putting together their work of art. Dr. Ziegler was practically everywhere, from assisting one doctor with the arm to putting together the metal chest piece while wiring the cybernetic on the inside- she really deserved some kind of vacation after this. But the work went on, with the doctors constantly monitoring Genji’s state, moving back and forth between attaching pieces and wiring them. 

 

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_ It’s been too long. They’re worried about you.  _ He’s _ worried about you. You still have jobs to accomplish, you promised them. You can’t fail them now. Don’t you want to get what you crave? Don’t you want your revenge? _

 

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With a jerk, Genji woke up panting, the machines alarmed by the sudden movement. His vision was hazy, everything making his head spin as if he was hungover, except every part of his body was aching crazily, to the point where even simple movement was enough to make any sane man scream. But he bit down every urge to scream, closing his eyes to focus on his sanity. Breathing out slowly, Genji opened his eyes slowly, taking in the sight of the room carefully. He assumed that the vibrant colors that popped out was due to the so-called upgrade he got, as well as the heightened senses he was experiencing now that he was much calmer. Looking around, he noticed a small ‘Get Well’ letter, along with another small pink rose, wrapped carefully in a bow. He smiled at it, picking it up with his hand, but his cheerfulness quickly disappeared as he took in the sight of his arm. Of course. What was he expecting? At least they were kind enough to leave his left side be. This was who he was now. There was no going back. No, not anymore.

 

He leaned back against the bed, tilting his head back to rest against the wall with his eyes closed. The room felt colder than before. Colder than the freezing glares from the shadows. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry... It's been almost a year... I was busy crying about college... oops...

_There’s much to do. It’s not your time yet, sparrow. You have to right your wrongs. Wake up. He’s waiting. They all are._

 

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.

 

Genji was fading in and out again, his mind too hazy to comprehend anything happening around him. It’s been three day, or at least that’s what the nurse had told him when she came in to check up on his status. Practically living off on IV treatment, the sparrow had no choice but to stay in bed, though he was thankful that no one made him move, since every movement he’s made only led to him regret ever moving in the first place. From the whispers passing around the halls, Genji could only assume that he was going to be stuck in bed for an year or two. Sighing, he laid his head back, letting the soft black strands of hair fall against his eyes. Sleeping was at least not as painful as being awake.

 

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“Commander Morrison, we of the United Nations have decided that right now is the best time to devise a plan to strike down the Shimada Clan in Hanamura, Japan. Currently, with the Clan not in order, we must move swiftly to take the organization down,” Councilman Clarkson stated, occasionally raising his glasses with the palm of his hand. He stared down at Jack, awaiting his answer. The councilman knew. In fact, everyone did; Jack had to agree, or else Overwatch could be shut down for good.

 

“There must be another way, sir. Agent Shimada is currently recovering from the surgery and he is not expected to be active until at least summer of next year. Planning an attack on the Shimada Empire means pushing Agent Shimada, and with his current state, that is impossible,” Jack replied back, hoping that they would at least rethink about the plan.

 

“I’m sorry Commander, but after monitoring their progress for years, we have no choice but to place the Shimada Clan as a major threat to the peace in the economy, as well as the lives of the nations around the globe. Although having the help of Agent Shimada would be no doubt beneficial, the plan can be executed without the presence of the Shimada. As long as the Clan remains unorganized for the duration of the month, your team of agents have a high chance in succeeding the mission,” the councilman spoke out once more, clear sign of frustration lying in his tone.  
  
“Correct me if I am wrong, but did your team of medics not say that they are working on a method of reconditioning the human brain to help with the process of recovery? I believe that if we were to focus on improving the technology available, Agent Shimada will recover fast enough to join in on the mission,” another councilman spoke up, accompanied by a few nods and murmurs of agreement from the other councilmen.

 

Not wanting to put Genji in danger, Jack was about to speak up when he felt the hand of another person on his shoulder. Looking back at Captain Amari’s worried expression, Jack sighed, the tension seeming to ease just a bit. He cleared his throat, reorganizing his thoughts before speaking up once more; it was a lost game, and there was nothing he could do about it.

 

“Taking down such big criminal empire will take us longer than just a month. We will discuss the mission with the team, and figure out the best plan of action to take to approach this. Our best option as it stands, is to infiltrate the ranks with the help of Agent Shimada, and slowly take them out undercover. This way, we will be able to strike once they are in a state of panic and take them down for good,” he declared, his voice full of confidence. Or at least he hoped it was, since this was the next best option to allow Genji to adjust somewhat easier into the organization.

 

After a few murmurs and whispers, the head Councilman sat up tall, readjusting the files in his hands before leaning in close to the microphone. “You have our approval, Commander Morrison. We hope you the best on your missions.”

 

He should have felt glad that the meeting was over, that there was no need to argue anymore. But deep down, even the Commander had a heart. Despite meeting the Shimada only a few days ago, he already considered the man as a close agent under his care, and he didn’t want Genji to suffer because of all of this. Secretly, he pitied the man, for his condition and the brutal backstabbing he went through. But everyone had a reason behind being in Overwatch: his was no different.

 

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The only time the sparrow liked being awake now was when he had visitors- to be more specific, the tall blond man- Jack, if he recalled correctly- that gave him updates and news every once in a while. Every time the man came by, he’d bring a small rose with him, often times faintly pink in color, though there were times he’d bring a brightly crimson colored ones as well. Genji never questioned why the man even bothered to bring them in so often, partially because it was still painful to even open his mouth to speak.

 

It took Genji some time, perhaps around 2 weeks or so, to get used to seeing everything with his eyes, since even his vision was completely changed. Dr. Ziegler told him that his eyes were too damaged to be left alone, and that because time was short, they couldn’t create cybernetic irises that were in the color of his original irises. Which, in turn, explained the faint glow of red that he’s seen reflecting from the small mirror by his bedside. The ninja feared that if it took this long just to get used to his new vision, it might take ages to even get used to walking. From what he’s heard from the whispers around the halls, he wasn’t even supposed to be able to walk or do anything on his own for months, close to a year. Frustrated, he let out a groan, resting his head back against the soft pillow propped against his back. He closed his eyes, imagining what it would be like for him in the future. To be called a full time Overwatch agent while going out on missions, saving people and killing bastards- he could probably even go out and have fun like he used to.

 

“Awake yet, Shimada?” A familiar voice rang out from the opposite end of the room, sounding cheerful and concerned at the same time. “I know you don’t like to speak since it still hurts you, so you don’t have to reply back. I just need you to listen for now.”

 

As always, Genji appreciated Jack’s sharp intuition- in this case, his understanding of the cyborg’s constant pain. He looked at the Commander, curious of the news he brought, though already tired from having multiple nights of restless sleeps.

 

“There was a Council meeting today. We were… discussing the future of the Shimada Clan and… and you. There’s no easy way of saying this, so I’ll be direct. Our team is already working on ways to quicken your recovery. We need you to be on your feet and mission ready by at least… next year. I know, I know. I tried to reason with them as best as I could, and this is the most they’ll offer us. Our team _needs_ you, Shimada. You’re our only chance at taking down the Clan, and with your help, we can make the chance of success at least 75%. Without you… I’d say it’s about 30%.” He paused, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly as if to think of something else to say, or to reword what he wanted to say.

 

“What I want to say, is that we’re going to be working on your recover a lot more now. I know it’s going to be hard and painful, but I need you to stick with me on this, alright? You are our only hope right now, and with all these- these background shit happening around, taking down the Clan will help save our asses-”

 

“So you wish to use me to bring up your reputation?” The sparrow coldly interrupted, his crimson glare fixated on the the Commander. It was painful to speak, but he couldn’t stop himself from replying back. “I was already aware that you wished to use me to infiltrate the base, but now-” he coughed, causing Jack to step forward in worry, only to be stopped by Genji, “-now I see your true intention, Commander.”

 

Jack was frustrated now, his face glowing red from anger. His tone changed, sounding much more hostile now with the full intention of jabbing the sparrow where it hurts. “You know that’s not the full story here. _You_ agreed to be part of this program. _You_ agreed to get this upgrade so that you can live. Don’t you dare point fingers at me Shimada. You knew well that you did nothing important while you were still part of the Clan, and everything that’s happened until now is on _you_. Should have been obedient then, instead of going out and having a good fucking time with some prostitutes-” Jack stopped, now realizing what he’s said and already regretting everything.

“S-Shimada I’m sorry I didn’t mean-”  


“Am I supposed to dismiss the fact that you just said ‘fuck you’ in a polite manner just because you said sorry?” Genji cut Jack off, his tone as cold as the room they were in. His glare drifted away from the Commander, and was now fixated on the glass vase holding the small roses, which only made the sparrow even more furious. “Get out. Please.”

 

Jack bit his lips, preventing himself from saying anything further. He’s already done the harm, and he didn’t want to do anything to make anything worse. The only thing that escaped from Jack’s lips was a sigh, and nothing more. Shaking his head, the Commander left the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. He walked away from the room, full of regret… yet with a sense of satisfaction. Of course he felt terrible for saying those to the man, but at the same time, what he said was the truth, and nothing but it. It felt strangely satisfying to put the man in his place, as his superior and the Commander… No, that’s not how he should think. He shook his head again, dismissing all the terrible thoughts creeping up on him. As the Commander, his actions shouldn’t be to hit his own team with harsh words. It was supposed to be to encourage them. That was something he definitely needed to work on now.

 

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 _Do not run from the truth- your past. Accept it, and let it be a guide for your future. Your journey has only begun. You are young. He can help you._ They _can help you. You do not have to be alone anymore..._

  
  
  
  



End file.
